Multisystem distributed processing of payment and/or non payment information

ABSTRACT

Various systems and methods that may relate to referral and/or delivery services are described. Some embodiments may include communication using a payment processing device. Various other embodiments are described.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/245,711 filed on Jan. 11, 2019 which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/724,533 filed Mar. 16, 2010 (now U.S. Pat. No.10,181,140 issued on Jan. 15, 2019), the disclosures of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts a system according to at least one embodiment of thesystems disclosed herein;

FIG. 2 depicts a payment processing device according to at least oneembodiment of the systems disclosed herein;

FIG. 3 depicts another payment processing device according to at leastone embodiment of the systems disclosed herein;

FIG. 4 depicts a some menus interactions according to at least oneembodiment of the systems disclosed herein;

FIG. 5 depicts an example method according to at least one embodiment ofthe systems disclosed herein;

FIG. 6 depicts another example method according to at least oneembodiment of the systems disclosed herein;

FIG. 7 depicts yet another example method according to at least oneembodiment of the systems disclosed herein; and

FIG. 8 depicts some more menu interactions according to at least oneembodiment of the systems disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following sections I-X provide a guide to interpreting the presentapplication.

I. Terms

The term “product” means any machine, manufacture and/or composition ofmatter, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term “process” means any process, algorithm, method or the like,unless expressly specified otherwise.

Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or otherwise)inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all references to a“step” or “steps” of a process have an inherent antecedent basis in themere recitation of the term ‘process’ or a like term. Accordingly, anyreference in a claim to a ‘step’ or ‘steps’ of a process has sufficientantecedent basis.

The term “invention” and the like mean “the one or more inventionsdisclosed in this application”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “theembodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “someembodiments”, “certain embodiments”, “one embodiment”, “anotherembodiment” and the like mean “one or more (but not all) embodiments ofthe disclosed invention(s)”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term “variation” of an invention means an embodiment of theinvention, unless expressly specified otherwise.

A reference to “another embodiment” in describing an embodiment does notimply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with anotherembodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referencedembodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof mean“including but not necessarily limited to”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. Thus, for example, the sentence “the portfolio includes a redwidget and a blue widget” means the portfolio includes the red widgetand the blue widget, but may include something else.

The term “consisting of” and variations thereof means “including andlimited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise. Thus, for example,the sentence “the portfolio consists of a red widget and a blue widget”means the portfolio includes the red widget and the blue widget, butdoes not include anything else.

The term “compose” and variations thereof means “to make up theconstituent parts of, component of or member of”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. Thus, for example, the sentence “the red widget andthe blue widget compose a portfolio” means the portfolio includes thered widget and the blue widget.

The term “exclusively compose” and variations thereof means “to make upexclusively the constituent parts of, to be the only components of or tobe the only members of”, unless expressly specified otherwise. Thus, forexample, the sentence “the red widget and the blue widget exclusivelycompose a portfolio” means the portfolio consists of the red widget andthe blue widget, and nothing else.

The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

The term “plurality” means “two or more”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The term “herein” means “in the present application, including anythingwhich may be incorporated by reference”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifies a plurality ofthings (such as an enumerated list of things) means any combination ofone or more of those things, unless expressly specified otherwise. Forexample, the phrase “at least one of a widget, a car and a wheel” meanseither (i) a widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car,(v) a widget and a wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, acar and a wheel. The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifiesa plurality of things does not mean “one of each of” the plurality ofthings.

Numerical terms such as “one”, “two”, etc. when used as cardinal numbersto indicate quantity of something (e.g., one widget, two widgets), meanthe quantity indicated by that numerical term, but do not mean at leastthe quantity indicated by that numerical term. For example, the phrase“one widget” does not mean “at least one widget”, and therefore thephrase “one widget” does not cover, e.g., two widgets.

The phrase “based on” does not mean “based only on”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” describesboth “based only on” and “based at least on”. The phrase “based at leaston” is equivalent to the phrase “based at least in part on”.

The term “represent” and like terms are not exclusive, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. For example, the term “represents” does not mean“represents only”, unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words,the phrase “the data represents a credit card number” describes both“the data represents only a credit card number” and “the data representsa credit card number and the data also represents something else”.

The term “whereby” is used herein only to precede a clause or other setof words that express only the intended result, objective or consequenceof something that is previously and explicitly recited. Thus, when theterm “whereby” is used in a claim, the clause or other words that theterm “whereby” modifies do not establish specific further limitations ofthe claim or otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.

The term “e.g.” and like terms mean “for example”, and thus does notlimit the term or phrase it explains. For example, in the sentence “thecomputer sends data (e.g., instructions, a data structure) over theInternet”, the term “e.g.” explains that “instructions” are an exampleof “data” that the computer may send over the Internet, and alsoexplains that “a data structure” is an example of “data” that thecomputer may send over the Internet. However, both “instructions” and “adata structure” are merely examples of “data”, and other things besides“instructions” and “a data structure” can be “data”.

The term “respective” and like terms mean “taken individually”. Thus iftwo or more things have “respective” characteristics, then each suchthing has its own characteristic, and these characteristics can bedifferent from each other but need not be. For example, the phrase “eachof two machines has a respective function” means that the first suchmachine has a function and the second such machine has a function aswell. The function of the first machine may or may not be the same asthe function of the second machine.

The term “i.e.” and like terms mean “that is”, and thus limits the termor phrase it explains. For example, in the sentence “the computer sendsdata (i.e., instructions) over the Internet”, the term “i.e.” explainsthat “instructions” are the “data” that the computer sends over theInternet.

Any given numerical range shall include whole and fractions of numberswithin the range. For example, the range “1 to 10” shall be interpretedto specifically include whole numbers between 1 and 10 (e.g., 1, 2, 3,4, . . . 9) and non-whole numbers (e.g., 1.1, 1.2, . . . 1.9).

Where two or more terms or phrases are synonymous (e.g., because of anexplicit statement that the terms or phrases are synonymous), instancesof one such term/phrase does not mean instances of another suchterm/phrase must have a different meaning. For example, where astatement renders the meaning of “including” to be synonymous with“including but not limited to”, the mere usage of the phrase “includingbut not limited to” does not mean that the term “including” meanssomething other than “including but not limited to”.

II. Determining

The term “determining” and grammatical variants thereof (e.g., todetermine a price, determining a value, determine an object which meetsa certain criterion) is used in an extremely broad sense. The term“determining” encompasses a wide variety of actions and therefore“determining” can include calculating, computing, processing, deriving,investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, a database oranother data structure), ascertaining and the like. Also, “determining”can include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g.,accessing data in a memory) and the like. Also, “determining” caninclude resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, and the like.

The term “determining” does not imply certainty or absolute precision,and therefore “determining” can include estimating, extrapolating,predicting, guessing and the like.

The term “determining” does not imply that mathematical processing mustbe performed, and does not imply that numerical methods must be used,and does not imply that an algorithm or process is used.

The term “determining” does not imply that any particular device must beused. For example, a computer need not necessarily perform thedetermining.

III. Forms of Sentences

Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a feature as wellas more than one of a feature (e.g., a limitation such as “at least onewidget” covers one widget as well as more than one widget), and where ina second claim that depends on the first claim, the second claim uses adefinite article “the” to refer to the limitation (e.g., “the widget”),this does not imply that the first claim covers only one of the feature,and this does not imply that the second claim covers only one of thefeature (e.g., “the widget” can cover both one widget and more than onewidget).

When an ordinal number (such as “first”, “second”, “third” and so on) isused as an adjective before a term, that ordinal number is used (unlessexpressly specified otherwise) merely to indicate a particular feature,such as to distinguish that particular feature from another feature thatis described by the same term or by a similar term. For example, a“first widget” may be so named merely to distinguish it from, e.g., a“second widget”. Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and“second” before the term “widget” does not indicate any otherrelationship between the two widgets, and likewise does not indicate anyother characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mereusage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term“widget” (1) does not indicate that either widget comes before or afterany other in order or location; (2) does not indicate that either widgetoccurs or acts before or after any other in time; and (3) does notindicate that either widget ranks above or below any other, as inimportance or quality. In addition, the mere usage of ordinal numbersdoes not define a numerical limit to the features identified with theordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers“first” and “second” before the term “widget” does not indicate thatthere must be no more than two widgets.

When a single device, article or other product is described herein, morethan one device/article (whether or not they cooperate) mayalternatively be used in place of the single device/article that isdescribed. Accordingly, the functionality that is described as beingpossessed by a device may alternatively be possessed by more than onedevice/article (whether or not they cooperate).

Similarly, where more than one device, article or other product isdescribed herein (whether or not they cooperate), a singledevice/article may alternatively be used in place of the more than onedevice or article that is described. For example, a plurality ofcomputer-based devices may be substituted with a single computer-baseddevice. Accordingly, the various functionality that is described asbeing possessed by more than one device or article may alternatively bepossessed by a single device/article.

The functionality and/or the features of a single device that isdescribed may be alternatively embodied by one or more other deviceswhich are described but are not explicitly described as having suchfunctionality/features. Thus, other embodiments need not include thedescribed device itself, but rather can include the one or more otherdevices which would, in those other embodiments, have suchfunctionality/features.

IV. Disclosed Examples and Terminology are not Limiting

Neither the Title (set forth at the beginning of the first page of thepresent application) nor the Abstract (set forth at the end of thepresent application) is to be taken as limiting in any way as the scopeof the disclosed invention(s), is to be used in interpreting the meaningof any claim or is to be used in limiting the scope of any claim. AnAbstract has been included in this application merely because anAbstract is required under 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b).

The title of the present application and headings of sections providedin the present application are for convenience only, and are not to betaken as limiting the disclosure in any way.

Numerous embodiments are described in the present application, and arepresented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments arenot, and are not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presentlydisclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, asis readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced withvarious modifications and alterations, such as structural, logical,software, and electrical modifications. Although particular features ofthe disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one ormore particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understoodthat such features are not limited to usage in the one or moreparticular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they aredescribed, unless expressly specified otherwise.

Though an embodiment may be disclosed as including several features,other embodiments of the invention may include fewer than all suchfeatures. Thus, for example, a claim may be directed to less than theentire set of features in a disclosed embodiment, and such claim wouldnot include features beyond those features that the claim expresslyrecites.

No embodiment of method steps or product elements described in thepresent application constitutes the invention claimed herein, or isessential to the invention claimed herein, or is coextensive with theinvention claimed herein, except where it is either expressly stated tobe so in this specification or expressly recited in a claim.

The preambles of the claims that follow recite purposes, benefits andpossible uses of the claimed invention only and do not limit the claimedinvention.

The present disclosure is not a literal description of all embodimentsof the invention(s). Also, the present disclosure is not a listing offeatures of the invention(s) which must be present in all embodiments.

All disclosed embodiment are not necessarily covered by the claims (evenincluding all pending, amended, issued and canceled claims). Inaddition, an embodiment may be (but need not necessarily be) covered byseveral claims. Accordingly, where a claim (regardless of whetherpending, amended, issued or canceled) is directed to a particularembodiment, such is not evidence that the scope of other claims do notalso cover that embodiment.

Devices that are described as in communication with each other need notbe in continuous communication with each other, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. On the contrary, such devices need only transmit toeach other as necessary or desirable, and may actually refrain fromexchanging data most of the time. For example, a machine incommunication with another machine via the Internet may not transmitdata to the other machine for long period of time (e.g. weeks at atime). In addition, devices that are in communication with each othermay communicate directly or indirectly through one or moreintermediaries.

A description of an embodiment with several components or features doesnot imply that all or even any of such components/features are required.On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described toillustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the presentinvention(s). Unless otherwise specified explicitly, nocomponent/feature is essential or required.

Although process steps, algorithms or the like may be described orclaimed in a particular sequential order, such processes may beconfigured to work in different orders. In other words, any sequence ororder of steps that may be explicitly described or claimed does notnecessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in thatorder. The steps of processes described herein may be performed in anyorder possible. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneouslydespite being described or implied as occurring non-simultaneously(e.g., because one step is described after the other step). Moreover,the illustration of a process by its depiction in a drawing does notimply that the illustrated process is exclusive of other variations andmodifications thereto, does not imply that the illustrated process orany of its steps are necessary to the invention(s), and does not implythat the illustrated process is preferred.

Although a process may be described as including a plurality of steps,that does not imply that all or any of the steps are preferred,essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of thedescribed invention(s) include other processes that omit some or all ofthe described steps. Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no step isessential or required.

Although a process may be described singly or without reference to otherproducts or methods, in an embodiment the process may interact withother products or methods. For example, such interaction may includelinking one business model to another business model. Such interactionmay be provided to enhance the flexibility or desirability of theprocess.

Although a product may be described as including a plurality ofcomponents, aspects, qualities, characteristics and/or features, thatdoes not indicate that any or all of the plurality are preferred,essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of thedescribed invention(s) include other products that omit some or all ofthe described plurality.

An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does notimply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unlessexpressly specified otherwise. Likewise, an enumerated list of items(which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of theitems are comprehensive of any category, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. For example, the enumerated list “a computer, a laptop, aPDA” does not imply that any or all of the three items of that list aremutually exclusive and does not imply that any or all of the three itemsof that list are comprehensive of any category.

An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does notimply that any or all of the items are equivalent to each other orreadily substituted for each other.

All embodiments are illustrative, and do not imply that the invention orany embodiments were made or performed, as the case may be.

V. Computing

It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that thevarious processes described herein may be implemented by, e.g.,appropriately programmed general purpose computers, special purposecomputers and computing devices. Typically a processor (e.g., one ormore microprocessors, one or more microcontrollers, one or more digitalsignal processors) will receive instructions (e.g., from a memory orlike device), and execute those instructions, thereby performing one ormore processes defined by those instructions. Instructions may beembodied in, e.g., one or more computer programs, one or more scripts.

A “processor” means one or more microprocessors, central processingunits (CPUs), computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signalprocessors, or like devices or any combination thereof, regardless ofthe architecture (e.g., chip-level multiprocessing/multi-core, RISC,CISC, Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages, pipeliningconfiguration, simultaneous multithreading).

Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of anapparatus for performing the process. The apparatus that performs theprocess can include, e.g., a processor and those input devices andoutput devices that are appropriate to perform the process.

Further, programs that implement such methods (as well as other types ofdata) may be stored and transmitted using a variety of media (e.g.,computer readable media) in a number of manners. In some embodiments,hard-wired circuitry or custom hardware may be used in place of, or incombination with, some or all of the software instructions that canimplement the processes of various embodiments. Thus, variouscombinations of hardware and software may be used instead of softwareonly.

The term “computer-readable medium” refers to any medium, a plurality ofthe same, or a combination of different media, that participate inproviding data (e.g., instructions, data structures) which may be readby a computer, a processor or a like device. Such a medium may take manyforms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media,and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, opticalor magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media includedynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes themain memory. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire andfiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupled tothe processor. Transmission media may include or convey acoustic waves,light waves and electromagnetic emissions, such as those generatedduring radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications.Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppydisk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magneticmedium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, papertape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM,an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrierwave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computercan read.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carryingdata (e.g. sequences of instructions) to a processor. For example, datamay be (i) delivered from RAM to a processor; (ii) carried over awireless transmission medium; (iii) formatted and/or transmittedaccording to numerous formats, standards or protocols, such as Ethernet(or IEEE 802.3), SAP, ATP, Bluetooth®, and TCP/IP, TDMA, CDMA, and 3G;and/or (iv) encrypted to ensure privacy or prevent fraud in any of avariety of ways well known in the art.

Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of acomputer-readable medium storing a program for performing the process.The computer-readable medium can store (in any appropriate format) thoseprogram elements which are appropriate to perform the method.

Just as the description of various steps in a process does not indicatethat all the described steps are required, embodiments of an apparatusinclude a computer/computing device operable to perform some (but notnecessarily all) of the described process.

Likewise, just as the description of various steps in a process does notindicate that all the described steps are required, embodiments of acomputer-readable medium storing a program or data structure include acomputer-readable medium storing a program that, when executed, cancause a processor to perform some (but not necessarily all) of thedescribed process.

Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art that (i) alternative database structures to thosedescribed may be readily employed, and (ii) other memory structuresbesides databases may be readily employed. Any illustrations ordescriptions of any sample databases presented herein are illustrativearrangements for stored representations of information. Any number ofother arrangements may be employed besides those suggested by, e.g.,tables illustrated in drawings or elsewhere. Similarly, any illustratedentries of the databases represent exemplary information only; one ofordinary skill in the art will understand that the number and content ofthe entries can be different from those described herein. Further,despite any depiction of the databases as tables, other formats(including relational databases, object-based models and/or distributeddatabases) could be used to store and manipulate the data typesdescribed herein. Likewise, object methods or behaviors of a databasecan be used to implement various processes, such as the describedherein. In addition, the databases may, in a known manner, be storedlocally or remotely from a device which accesses data in such adatabase.

Various embodiments can be configured to work in a network environmentincluding a computer that is in communication (e.g., via acommunications network) with one or more devices. The computer maycommunicate with the devices directly or indirectly, via any wired orwireless medium (e.g. the Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet, Token Ring, atelephone line, a cable line, a radio channel, an optical communicationsline, commercial on-line service providers, bulletin board systems, asatellite communications link, a combination of any of the above). Eachof the devices may themselves comprise computers or other computingdevices, such as those based on the Intel® Pentium® or Centrino™processor, that are adapted to communicate with the computer. Any numberand type of devices may be in communication with the computer.

In an embodiment, a server computer or centralized authority may not benecessary or desirable. For example, the present invention may, in anembodiment, be practiced on one or more devices without a centralauthority. In such an embodiment, any functions described herein asperformed by the server computer or data described as stored on theserver computer may instead be performed by or stored on one or moresuch devices.

Where a process is described, in an embodiment the process may operatewithout any user intervention. In another embodiment, the processincludes some human intervention (e.g., a step is performed by or withthe assistance of a human).

VI. Continuing Applications

The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in the art, anenabling description of several embodiments and/or inventions. Some ofthese embodiments and/or inventions may not be claimed in the presentapplication, but may nevertheless be claimed in one or more continuingapplications that claim the benefit of priority of the presentapplication.

Applicants intend to file additional applications to pursue patents forsubject matter that has been disclosed and enabled but not claimed inthe present application.

VII. 35 U.S.C. § 112, Paragraph 6

In a claim, a limitation of the claim which includes the phrase “meansfor” or the phrase “step for” means that 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6,applies to that limitation.

In a claim, a limitation of the claim which does not include the phrase“means for” or the phrase “step for” means that 35 U.S.C. § 112,paragraph 6 does not apply to that limitation, regardless of whetherthat limitation recites a function without recitation of structure,material or acts for performing that function. For example, in a claim,the mere use of the phrase “step of”′ or the phrase “steps of” inreferring to one or more steps of the claim or of another claim does notmean that 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6, applies to that step(s).

With respect to a means or a step for performing a specified function inaccordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6, the correspondingstructure, material or acts described in the specification, andequivalents thereof, may perform additional functions as well as thespecified function.

Computers, processors, computing devices and like products arestructures that can perform a wide variety of functions. Such productscan be operable to perform a specified function by executing one or moreprograms, such as a program stored in a memory device of that product orin a memory device which that product accesses. Unless expresslyspecified otherwise, such a program need not be based on any particularalgorithm, such as any particular algorithm that might be disclosed inthe present application. It is well known to one of ordinary skill inthe art that a specified function may be implemented via differentalgorithms, and any of a number of different algorithms would be a meredesign choice for carrying out the specified function.

Therefore, with respect to a means or a step for performing a specifiedfunction in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6, structurecorresponding to a specified function includes any product programmed toperform the specified function. Such structure includes programmedproducts which perform the function, regardless of whether such productis programmed with (i) a disclosed algorithm for performing thefunction, (ii) an algorithm that is similar to a disclosed algorithm, or(iii) a different algorithm for performing the function.

Where there is recited a means for performing a function that is amethod, one structure for performing this method includes a computingdevice (e.g., a general purpose computer) that is programmed and/orconfigured with appropriate hardware to perform that function.

Also included is a computing device (e.g., a general purpose computer)that is programmed and/or configured with appropriate hardware toperform that function via other algorithms as would be understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art.

VIII. Disclaimer

Numerous references to a particular embodiment do not indicate adisclaimer or disavowal of additional, different embodiments, andsimilarly references to the description of embodiments which all includea particular feature do not indicate a disclaimer or disavowal ofembodiments which do not include that particular feature. A cleardisclaimer or disavowal in the present application shall be prefaced bythe phrase “does not include” or by the phrase “cannot perform”.

IX. Incorporation By Reference

Any patent, patent application or other document referred to herein isincorporated by reference into this patent application as part of thepresent disclosure, but only for purposes of written description andenablement in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 1, and shouldin no way be used to limit, define, or otherwise construe any term ofthe present application, unless without such incorporation by reference,no ordinary meaning would have been ascertainable by a person ofordinary skill in the art. Such person of ordinary skill in the art neednot have been in any way limited by any embodiments provided in thereference

Any incorporation by reference does not, in and of itself, imply anyendorsement of, ratification of or acquiescence in any statements,opinions, arguments or characterizations contained in any incorporatedpatent, patent application or other document, unless explicitlyspecified otherwise in this patent application.

X. Prosecution History

In interpreting the present application (which includes the claims), oneof ordinary skill in the art shall refer to the prosecution history ofthe present application, but not to the prosecution history of any otherpatent or patent application, regardless of whether there are otherpatent applications that are considered related to the presentapplication, and regardless of whether there are other patentapplications that share a claim of priority with the presentapplication.

XI. Example Embodiments

U.S. patent publication 2008/0161944 entitle Method and Apparatus forGroup Filtered Reports, U.S. patent publication 2008/0195538 entitledPayment During Trial Period of Referral Service, U.S. patent publication2009/0083135 entitled Products and Processes for Revenue Sharing, andU.S. patent publication 2009/0083324 entitled Method and Apparatus forMenu Generation and all hereby incorporated herein by reference.

It is recognized that communication (e.g., one way and/or two way) witha merchant may be desirable in some embodiments. For example, orderinformation may be transmitted to a merchant, confirmation informationmay be transmitted from a merchant, time estimate information may betransmitted from a merchant, time request information may be transmittedto a merchant, payment information may be transmitted to a merchant,special request information may be transmitted to the merchant, creditauthorization may be transmitted to the merchant, reservationinformation may be transmitted to/from a merchant, delivery information,and so on. Such information may be transmitted to and/or from acommunication device associated with the merchant. A merchant forexample, may include a restaurant.

It is recognized that in some embodiments a merchant may have spaceconstraints in an area in which a communication device is desired. Forexample, a communication device may be desired in a kitchen area inwhich space is at a premium, a communication device may be desired at acounter area near where a host or hostess works, a communication devicemay be desired near a cash register to process payment information, andso on. In some embodiments, a merchant may already have one or moredevices in such a desired area that may have some communicationfunctionality but not all desired functionality. In some embodiments,such a communication device may include a payment transaction deviceconfigured to authorize payments such as on a credit and or debit card.

In some embodiments, a payment transaction device may be configured toprovide one way and/or two way communication regarding non-paymentrelated information. Such information may be communicated to a merchant,to a customer, to a delivery agent, to a third party, to a referralservice, and so on. Because a merchant may already have a paymenttransaction device, the additional functionality regarding thisinformation may be added to the merchant without adding an additionaltype of device that takes up additional space.

Some embodiments may include methods and apparatus related to a referralservice and/or a delivery service. Some embodiments of such a servicemay receive an indication of an order for a merchant from a user of theservice and may forward the indication of the order to the merchant.Some embodiments may facilitate delivery of items fulfilling the orderfrom the merchant to the user.

It should be recognized that the term facilitate and derivations thereofare used herein in an extremely broad sense. Such terms may be used toinclude any action that may directly, and/or indirectly bring aboutand/or help to bring about a thing. For example facilitatingtransmission may include allowing a transmission, transmitting,transmitting directly, transmitting indirectly, any action that may aidin transmission, and so on.

In some embodiments, orders for one or more merchants may be collectedby an order collector such as a website operated at www.delivery.com.Such a website may provide options for a user to select one or moreitems from one or more merchants to order and/or have delivered. Such awebsite may be operated at one or more web servers and or other servers.Such a web site may be reached over the Internet using a web browser,over another network, and so on. Other methods of submitting orders maybe used, such as telephone, fax, email, proprietary software, and so on.

In some embodiments, payment for one or more orders may be made throughan order collector, to a merchant, to a delivery agent, and so on.Payments may originate from various sources, such as banks, individuals,payment processing services and/or money transferors. Payments may bedistributed among merchants, referral service providers, deliveryagents, delivery service providers, payment processing services, and anyother desired entity.

In some embodiments, an indication of a payment for an order may bereceived. An indication of a payment may include, for example, one ormore of an indication that a payment has been made, an indication that apayment has been authorized, and/or an indication of a promise to make apayment in the future. In some implementations, an indication of apayment may include an indication that a payment has been made to adesired money account. In some implementations, the indication may bereceived from an entity making or processing a payment to the desiredmoney account (e.g., a bank, a credit card company, a money transferor,a payment processing service). In some implementations, the indicationmay be received from an entity receiving the money (e.g., a bank, acredit card company, a money transferor, a payment processing service).In some implementations, the indication may be received after the moneyis authorized to be transferred into the desired account but before themoney is transferred/received. In some implementations, the indicationmay be received after the money is transferred into/received at thedesired account.

Some embodiments may include collection of a payment. For example, insome embodiments, a delivery agent may collect a promised payment upondelivery and/or pickup, a credit card may be charged an authorizedamount, and so on. In some embodiments, a payment agreed upon initiallymay be changed later, such as to add a tip, adjust for undelivereditems, refund for a coupon, and so on. Some embodiments may furtherinclude distributing the collected payment among one or more entities,such as the delivery agent, a merchant, a referral and/or deliveryservice, a payment processing service, and so on.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example diagram of a service implemented in someembodiments. System 101 may include a computer system as describedabove. System 101 may be configured to provide a referral and/ordelivery service. System 101 may include a web server configured toprovide a user interface to one or more users to place orders, to one ormore merchants to establish menus and merchant information, to one ormore administrators, and so on. System 101 may include any number ofservers configured to provide any desired processing regarding orderinformation, payment information, delivery information, reviewinformation, and so on. System 101 may include a communication interfaceconfigured to communicate information to one or more remotedestinations, such as to a merchant, to a payment processing service, toa delivery agent, and so on. Such a communication interface may includea network interface, a SIM card for cellular access, a telephone line,and so on.

Some embodiments may include a merchant 103. In some embodiments, aplurality of merchants may be provided referral and/or delivery serviceby system 101. Merchant 103 may register with the referral and/ordelivery service, such as providing menu information, hours ofoperation, delivery area information, and so on to the service (e.g.,through a website and/or other interface, over the phone, through mail,etc.). Merchant 103 may include a restaurant in some implementations.Such information may include one or more food items offered by a menu ofthe restaurant.

Some embodiments may include a user 105. User 105 may access a system101, such as a website to place an order for one or more merchants 103that use the services offered by system 101. The system 101 may provideinformation about the items offered by the merchants such as food itemsoffered through a menu of a restaurant. A user may place an order forone or more food items offered by one or more restaurants and/or otheritems offered by other merchants. Such an order may include a purchaseof an item and/or service, a delivery order, a pickup order, and so on.Such an order may include any number of details regarding the order suchas allergy information, delivery time, pickup time, directions, deliveryagent, and so on. A user may submit payment information for such anorder through such a service and/or may later provide paymentinformation to a merchant, to a delivery agent, and so on. Such aninteraction may take place through software, through a web browser, on aphone, over fax, via email, and so on.

Some embodiments may include a delivery agent 107. Such a delivery agentmay be part of the merchant and/or may be a third party. Such a deliveryagent may act to deliver items from the merchant to the user asindicated by a dashed line in FIG. 1 . In one implementation, deliveryagent 107 may include a person who travels from merchant 103 to user105. In some implementations, delivery agent 107 may deliver to anotherlocation rather than to the user if the user 105 desires such delivery(e.g., if the order indicates such delivery). In some implementations,delivery agent 107 may include a person traveling by an automobile,bicycle, or any other means. Some embodiments may include acommunication interface with the delivery agent. Such an interface mayallow the delivery agent to communicate with the merchant, the user, thesystem, the payment processing center, and so on. Such a communicationinterface may include a telephone line (e.g., a cell phone), a faxmachine, a computer and/or another means of electronic communication.For example, in some implementations a cellular telephone maycommunicate information regarding the delivery to the delivery agent211, e.g., through a telephone call or text message. In otherimplementations, an electronic message such as an SMS, MMS, or emailmessage may communicate the information, for example to a mobile devicecarried by delivery agent 107 or to a central dispatcher that thenrelays the information to delivery agent 107. Such information may besent to the delivery agent by another source, such as system 101,merchant 103, user 105, a payment processing service, and so on asdesired in an implementation, for example, based on who desired toarrange such a delivery if such a delivery is even desired at all.

Some embodiments may include a payment processing service 109. In someembodiments, payment processing service may be configured to receiveinformation about a credit and/or debit card transaction and facilitatea charge being placed with the credit and/or debit card. The paymentprocessing service may transmit authorization information identifyingthat the payment has been processed. Payment processing service mayinclude a service such as VeriFone. Such a service being used to providepayment processing to a merchant is well known. For example, a merchantmay swipe a credit card into a payment processing device, which maytransmit information about the credit card to the payment processingservice. The payment processing service may verify the credit card andauthorize a charge. In response the payment processing service may sendauthorization information to the payment processing device which maythen print a receipt that a customer signs. It should be recognized thatthis is one non-limiting example of a use of a payment processingservice to process payments. Further examples of a payment processingservice, payment processing device, and/or operation not involvingprocessing payments are described elsewhere herein.

Some embodiments may include one or more communication networks 111.Such networks may include one or more combination of networks asdesired. For example, such networks may include a telephone line, cablelines, cellular links, wi-fi, DSL lines, face-to-face communication, theInternet and/or one or more local area networks. Each communication linkmay be separate or may be shared. For example, a network used by a userto access the system may include a local network and/or the Internet. Anetwork used to communicate between a payment processing service and amerchant may include a dedicated link, a telephone line, and/or theInternet. A network used to communicate between a payment processingservice and the system may include a dedicated link, a telephone line,and/or the Internet. Various information desired to perform any desiredmethod or transaction may be communicated in any desired format throughsuch networks.

Some embodiments may include a payment processing device 113 Such adevice may be disposed at a merchant (e.g., at a host stand, at acashier, at a kitchen, etc.). An example of such a device interactingwith a payment processing service to process a credit card payment isdescribed above. FIGS. 2 and 3 show non-limiting example paymentprocessing devices that may be used in some embodiments. Such devicesmay be obtained from VeriFone, Inc. of Canton Mass., Hypercom ofScottsdale Ariz., and Ingenico of Alpharetta Ga. Some non-limitingexamples, include the ZON Jr, Tranz models, Omni models, Vx Solutionsmodels, NURIT models, Hypercom T models, and so on.

FIG. 2 illustrates one example payment processing device. Such a devicemay include a credit card and/or debit card processing device. Such adevice may allow a merchant to authorize and/or place a charge on acredit card and/or debit card for a product and/or service. Such adevice may communicate with a payment processing service to authorizeand/or place such a charge, as described above and known in the art. Apayment processing device may include a communication interface, aprinter, a keypad, a display, a card reader, a processor, a memory, aperipheral device, and so on.

As indicated at 201, a payment processing device may include acommunication interface such as a wifi connection, a SIM card, anEthernet port, a telephone plug, a modem, and so on. Such an interfacemay provide a continuous connection with a payment processing service.For example, a dedicated data line may connect the device to acommunication network such as the Internet. Such an interface mayprovide an on demand connection with a payment processing service (e.g.,demand by the merchant and/or the payment processing service). Forexample, a telephone call may be made to provide a connection to and/orfrom the device. In some embodiments, communication using the interfacemay be encrypted to protect customer privacy.

As indicated at 203, a payment processing device may include a printer.Such a printer may be used, for example, to output a receipt for acustomer and/or for a signature. In some embodiments, such a printer maybe used to output order information and/or other non-paymentinformation.

As indicated at 205, a payment processing device may include a display.Such a display may be used to display information about a payment. Sucha display may be used to display a menu through which a merchant maynavigate (e.g., to enter payment details, to enter non-payment details,to view information, and so son). Such a display may be used to outputnon-payment information. Such a display may output informationdetermined by a processor and/or memory of the device and/or informationreceived from an outside source (e.g., payment processing service).

As indicated at 207, a payment processing device may include a keypad.Such a keypad may be used to navigate a menu. Such a keypad may be usedto input information into the device (e.g., payment information,non-payment information, confirmation information, menu navigationcommands, and so on). Such a keypad may be used to enter PINs, securitycodes, and so on.

As indicated at 209, a payment processing device may include a cardreader. Such a card reader may be used to read a magnetic strip from acredit and/or debit card. Some embodiments may include an RFID or otherwireless card reader that may wirelessly read card information from acredit and/or debit card. Such card readers are known in the art. Insome embodiments, a keypad may be used to enter card information.

A payment processing device may include any desired computing devicecomponents. For example, a payment processing device may include aprocessor 211 and/or memory 213 that may execute and/or store a programand/or data. For example such a program may perform a method regardingpayment transaction that allows a merchant to use the device toauthorize and/or charge a payment to a credit card and/or debit card.Such a program may perform a method regarding non-payment transactionssuch as a method described elsewhere herein.

Some embodiments may include connections to peripheral devices, such asexternal printers, external display screens, cash registers, and so on.Such devices may take the place of and/or work with included devices.For example, in some embodiments, a cash register may input paymenttotals to the payment processing device, a printer may be used toprinter reports or information on larger paper, and so on.

FIG. 3 illustrates another example payment processing device. In thisexample, such a payment processing device includes a wireless handheldmodel that may be used in some embodiments. Such a device may, in someembodiments, communicate with a base station. Such a device may performsimilar functionality of the example shown in FIG. 2 .

It should be recognized that FIGS. 2 and 3 are given as examples onlyand that other embodiments may include any form of payment processingdevice. Such a device may include any form of input and/or output suchas hearing and/or vision impaired methods of input and/or output and soon. Some embodiments may include audio input and/or output, haptic inputand/or output, and so on.

In some embodiments, operation of a payment processing device to performa payment may include receiving information about a sale, such as from akeypad entry, from an external device such as a cash register. Then,information about a payment method may be received. Such information maybe received by entry of information using a keypad and/or display, swipeand/or tap of a card and so on. Payment method information may betransmitted to a payment processing service, and an authorization may bereceived from the payment processing service indicating that the paymenthas been authorized and/or charged to a credit and/or debit card. Anoutput of such authorization may be provided through the device or aperipheral, such as a display and/or a receipt.

Various actions may be performed through using a payment processingdevice by accessing one or more menus. Some example menu prompts andinteractions are shown in FIG. 4 that may allow a merchant to enterpayment information, tip information, print receipts, and so on.Operation through such a menu may result in one and/or two waycommunication with a payment processing service and/or output through adisplay, printer and/or other device. Additional menus may be used toextend functionality to non-payment options as explained elsewhereherein.

In some embodiments, a payment processing device and/or paymentprocessing service may be configured to provide non-payment relatedservices such as service related to the system 101 of FIG. 1 . Forexample, such a device and/or service may allow communication regardingorders, delivery, confirmation, and so on that may be received by system101. Such communication may be one way and/or two way. Suchcommunication may be originated by system 101 through a paymentprocessing service.

In operation, a system such as that shown in FIG. 1 and/or any otherentity may perform one or more processes to provide non-paymentfunctionality using a payment processing device of a merchant. In someembodiments, to enable such functionality, as described elsewhereherein, one or more programs may be configured to accept input, respondto input, receive and/or transmit data, and/or perform any desiredfunction. Such a program may, for example, include a program on amemory, such as a memory of a server, of a computer system of a paymentprocessing service, of a payment processing device, of a user'scomputing device, and/or any other device.

As discussed elsewhere herein, some embodiments may include differentformatting of information and payments for various entities. In someembodiments, a singe system 101 may interact with multiple paymentprocessing systems that may use different formatting and/or paymentschemes. An arrangement may be made between such entities to provide forproper formatting, work arrangements, payment, and so on.

FIG. 5 illustrates one non-limiting example method that may be used insome embodiments. Such a process may be performed, for example by system101, payment processing service 103, a user, and/or a payment processingdevice of a merchant in any combination desired. Such a process may beperformed by one or more servers and/or processors. In some embodiments,such a process may be performed at least in part by a system such assystem 101.

Some embodiments may include receiving and/or transmitting informationabout one or more items and/or services that may be ordered from one ormore merchants. Such information may be received from a merchant and/oranother source. Such information may be received by a provider of areferral and/or delivery service.

As indicated at block 501, some embodiments may include transmittinginformation about items and/or services that may be ordered from one ormore merchants to one or more users of a referral and/or deliveryservice. Such transmitting may be performed, in some embodiments bysystem 101. Such information may be transmitted via the Internet to bedisplayed as a webpage in a web browser operated by a compute ringdevice of the user. Such information may include be a menu of food itemsoffered by one or more restaurants. In some embodiments, a userinterface may include for example, a website, mobile device interfaceand so on. The user interface may allow the user to select a particularmerchant or merchants and products and/or services from the particularmerchant or merchants. In such implementations, for example, the userinterface may display a representation of available merchants (e.g., alist of merchants that may be in an identified geographical locationassociated with the user and/or merchants that are open at the time) towhich the user may submit orders. In some embodiments, a listing orother representation of items and/or services may be displayed in a userinterface for the user to select from.

In some embodiments, the user may select one or more items and/orservices and in response, an indication of an order be transmitted fromthe user. In some implementations, the selected products and/or servicemay be stored in a “shopping cart” of a website and the order may besubmitted for processing after the user has finished selecting productsand/or services, for example, after the user has proceeded to a checkoutinterface through which the user may authorize payment for the productsand/or services, as is known in the art.

As indicated at block 503, some embodiments may include receiving anorder for one or more items and/or services from one or more users. Suchreceiving may be performed, in some embodiments by service 101. Theorder may include any information desired to identify desired itemsand/or product, any desired merchant, and/or any desired characteristicsabout an order (e.g., time, allergies, delivery location, specialrequest, etc.). In some implementations, the received indication of theorder may include one or more electronic messages. In some embodiments,an indication of an order may include an order for products and/orservices from multiple merchants.

In some embodiments, in which such an order includes items and/orservices from multiple merchants, a different method of forwarding ontoeach merchant may be used. The following description describes anexample in which an order is for a single merchant, but it should berecognized that similar methods may be used in other embodiments.

In some embodiments, payment information may be received with and/orseparate from order information. Such payment information may be used tomake a payment for an order. In other embodiments, payments may bearranged with a merchant and/or a delivery agent.

As indicated at block 505, some embodiments may include transmitting theorder to a payment processing service. Such transmitting may beperformed by system 101. Such transmitting may be performed in responseto the receiving of block 503. In some embodiments, a determination maybe made as to which of a number of payment processing services amerchant uses and transmission may be made o that payment processingservice. This may be performed based on a lookup table that includesinformation about the merchant (e.g., information obtained at the timeof sign up). Such transmission may include transmitted over acommunication network in any desired format.

As indicated at block 507, some embodiments may include formatting anindication of the order for transmission to a payment processing device.Such formatting may be done at a system 101 and/or at a paymentprocessing service 109 before and/or after block 505. Such formattingmay be performed in response to the receiving of block 503, a receivingof the transmission of block 505, and so on. Such formatting may includeplacing order information into a form that may be understood by thepayment processing device. This may include, for example, a proprietaryformat, an XML format, any desired packet format, and so on. Such aformat may be a same or different format than the format in which theorder is received forma user.

As indicated at block 509, some embodiments may include establishing aconnection to a payment processing device of the merchant. Suchestablishing may be done at a system 101 and/or at a payment processingservice 109 before and/or after any other actions. Such establishing maybe done in response to receiving a transmission of block 505, inresponse to a receiving of block 503, and so on. A connection to thepayment processing device may be established by a payment processingservice in a similar manner for payment processing activities.Establishing such a connection may include establishing a dedicatedconnection with the payment processing device that may have beenestablished prior to the user placing an order, for example Establishingsuch a connection may include establishing a transaction specificconnection that may be established in response to the user placing theorder. Establishing a connection may include, for example, transmittingconnection information to an IP address, making a telephone call to aline connected to the payment processing device, and so on.

As indicated at block 511, some embodiments may include transmitting anorder to a payment processing device of the merchant. Such transmittingmay occur at a system 101 and/or at a payment processing service 109.Such transmitting may take place using the established connection fromblock 509 and using a format from block 507. Such transmitting may beperformed in response to a receiving of block 503, a receiving of atransmission of block 505, an establishing of block 509, and so on. Insome embodiments, the transmitted order information may include detailsabout an order. The detail may include abbreviations that may beestablished by the merchant. The details may include prices, times,quantity, item names, a pickup time, a delivery time, a deliveryaddress, a delivery agent, and so on. In some embodiments, transmittingmay include transmitting confirmation information. Such confirmationinformation may include a confirmation code, a confirmation image, aconfirmation telephone number and so on. Such information may be used sothat a merchant may confirm receipt and acceptance of an order. Suchconfirmation information may include, for example, a CRC number or othererror detecting codes.

In some embodiments, transmitting and/or formatting may includearranging so that output is properly output. For example, a system maydetermine an end of a description of one item in an order so that thedescription is less than a maximum number of characters for an outputmethod (e.g., one receipt page, one page of a display). In someembodiments, this may be performed by a payment processing device suchas sing a memory or program and/or a menu system.

As indicated at block 513, some embodiments may include receiving aconfirmation of the order from the merchant. Such receiving may occur ata system 101 and/or at a payment processing service 109. In someembodiments, such confirmation may be received from a payment processingdevice of the merchant. For example, a merchant may enter a confirmationcode from the order transmission into the device and that code may betransmitted from the device (e.g., using the established connectionand/or another connection) and received. As another example, a merchantmay enter a confirm button associated with an order and/or one or moreitems in the order to confirm the order and/or the items. Suchconfirmation may be transmitted from the device (e.g., using theestablished connection and/or another connection) and received.

In some embodiments, in which confirmation is received by a paymentprocessing service that is separate from a referral and/or deliveryservice system, such a confirmation may be to the referral and/ordelivery service system and received thereby. In some embodiments, inwhich such a confirmation is received by a system 101 and/or in whichsystem 101 and a payment processing service are a same entity, suchforwarding may not be performed.

In some embodiments, confirmation may take any number of forms that mayor may not involve a payment processing device. For example, in someembodiments, a confirmation may include calling a number and/orreceiving a call and inputting a code or other information about theorder (e.g., to an automated system), sending an email, enteringinformation on a website, faxing, and so on.

Some embodiments may include retrying to send information about an orderif confirmation is not received within a desired time period. Such atime period may include any amount of time such as 1 minute 5 minutes 10minutes 20 minutes, and so on. Such retrying may be performed by apayment processing service and/or a system 101. Retrying may beperformed any number of times desired. Retrying may include othermethods of sending order information other merchant. After somethreshold number of failed retries the user may be notified that theorder cannot be completed and may be given an opportunity to place a neworder with a different merchant. For example, a system may determineother merchants that may service the user with similar items and/orservice and may provide an indication of those opportunities to the user(e.g., through a user interface, through a phone call, through an email,and so on). such information may be presented to a customer servicerepresentative that may then call the user with the information. Anyother method of facilitating re confirmation and/or order change may beperformed in an embodiment.

Some embodiments may include facilitating delivery. Such facilitationmay be performed by a merchant and or system 101. Such facilitation maybe performed in response to a receipt of a confirmation. Suchfacilitation may include sending information to one or more deliveryagents. In some embodiments, information about a delivery may betransmitted along with order information to a merchant. Such informationmay include a time of delivery and/or pick up for an order, anauthorized delivery agent, contact information for the delivery agent,and so on. Such information may be sent along with order information, ata different time from order information, and so on. For example, suchinformation may be sent after a delivery agent confirms that they willbe able to make the delivery which may be after the order information issent to the merchant.

In some embodiments, a payment may be exchanged among merchant, user,delivery agent, referral and/or delivery service, payment processingservice, and/or any other desired entity. In some implementations, forexample, the user may provide a payment to delivery agent. Deliveryagent may provide the payment to the merchant who may later provide thepayment to any other desired entity. The delivery agent may take a orreceive a payment at that time or a later time.

It should be recognized that while FIG. 5 illustrate one non-limitingexample method, other embodiments may include any method desired whichmay include same or different actions in any desired order and/ornumber. It should be recognized that while the above description isgiven in terms of order information, that similar methods may be used toprovide any desired non-payment information, such as reservationinformation, shipping of goods (e.g., wines, ingredients, and so on)information, and/or any other desired non-payment information. It shouldbe recognized that while non-payment information may be communicated insome embodiments, payment information may be communicated in addition tosuch non-payment information to and/or form the merchant at any desiredstep in any method (e.g., a payment method and/or authorization may betransmitted to the merchant along with the order and/or in response to aconfirmation by the merchant). It should be recognized that action ofsuch a process may be performed by any entity as desired in variousembodiments.

Some embodiments may include one or more processes that may be performedby a system 101, a payment processing service 109, a user, and/or amerchant in any combination. FIG. 6 illustrates a non-limiting exampleof such a process. Such a process may be performed by one or moreservers and/or processors. In some embodiments, such a process may beperformed at least in part by a payment processing service.

As indicated at block 601, some embodiments may include receiving anorder. Such an order may be received in any format. Some embodiments mayinclude formatting the received information to another format such asthat used by a payment processing device. In some embodiments, the ordermay be received in such a format. The order may be received from system101 by a payment processing service. The order may be received by system101 from a user. A recipient of the order may determine how tocommunicate the order to a merchant.

As indicated at block 603, some embodiments may include establishing aconnection to a merchant. Such establishing may be performed in responseto receiving of block 601. Such establishing may be performed by system101 and/or a payment processing service. Such establishing is describedelsewhere herein.

As indicated at block 605, some embodiments may include transmitting theorder to a payment processing device of the merchant. Such transmittingmay be performed in response to the establishing of block 603, inresponse to the receiving of block 601, and so on. Such transmitting maybe done by system 101 and/or a payment processing service such as overthe established connection in the desired format. Such transmitting isdescribed elsewhere herein.

As indicated at block 607, some embodiments may include responding toinput from a merchant made through the payment processing device. Forexample, input from the merchant may be received, and output to themerchant may be made in response to the input. Input may include, forexample, a button being pressed, such as a more information and/or pageup or down button. In some embodiments, such responses may be performedby the payment processing device. For example, an entire order may besent to the payment processing device and a portion may be shown perscreen. When a next page button is pressed, the payment processingdevice may access a memory to display the next portion of the order. Insome embodiments, such responses may be performed by system 101 and/or apayment processing service. For example, only portions of an order maybe transmitted at a time that correspond to what is shown to a merchanton a display and when a merchant presses a next page button moreinformation may be transmitted.

As indicated at block 609, some embodiments may include receivingconfirmation of the order from the merchant. In some embodiments, suchreceiving may be performed by system 101 and/or a payment processingservice. Such receiving is described elsewhere herein.

Some embodiments may include retrying transmission if a confirmation isnot received. Such retrying may be on an order by order basis and/or anitem by item basis. Retrying is described elsewhere herein.

As indicated at block 611, some embodiments may include transmitting theconfirmation to one or more destination. Such transmitting may beperformed din response to the receiving of block 609. Such transmittingmay be performed by system 101 and/or a payment processing service. Forexample, such transmitting may include transmitting to system 101 from apayment processing system, transmitting to a user from system 101, andso on. Such transmitting is described elsewhere herein.

It should be recognized that while FIG. 6 illustrate one non-limitingexample method, other embodiments may include any method desired whichmay include same or different actions in any desired order and/ornumber. It should be recognized that while the above description isgiven in terms of order information, that similar methods may be used toprovide any desired non-payment information, such as reservationinformation, shipping of goods (e.g., wines, ingredients, and so on)information, and/or any other desired non-payment information. It shouldbe recognized that while non-payment information may be communicated insome embodiments, payment information may be communicated in addition tosuch non-payment information to and/or form the merchant at any desiredstep in any method (e.g., a payment method and/or authorization may betransmitted to the merchant along with the order and/or in response to aconfirmation by the merchant). Some embodiments of FIG. 6 may beperformed by a payment processing service. Some embodiments may beperformed by any desired entity. It should be recognized that action ofsuch a process may be performed by any entity as desired in variousembodiments.

Some embodiments may include one or more processes that may be performedby a system 101, a payment processing service 109, a user, a merchant,and/or a payment processing device in any combination. FIG. 7illustrates a non-limiting example of such a process. Such a process maybe performed by one or more servers and/or processors. In someembodiments, such a process may be performed at least in part by apayment processing device.

As indicated at block 701, some embodiments may include connecting to apayment processing service. Such connecting may be performed by apayment processing device of a merchant. Such connecting may includeaccepting a connection request such as picking up a phone call, using amodem to demodulate information, accepting an incoming packet over adata cable, and so on. Such connecting may include making a connectionrequest such as dialing a phone number, using a modem to modulateinformation, transmitting an outgoing packet over a data cable, and soon. In some embodiments, as discussed elsewhere, such a connection mayinclude an on demand connection, a constant connection and so on. Insome embodiments, a periodic, continuous, occasional, constant and so onconnection and/or periodic polling of a payment processing service fornon-payment information may be initiated by a payment processing device.In some embodiments, a payment processing service may push suchinformation to a payment processing device when it is available inaddition to and/or as al alternative to such polling.

As indicated at block 703, some embodiments may include receivinginformation about an order. Such information may be received by apayment processing device of a merchant. Such information may bereceived from a payment processing service, a system 101, a user, and/orany other entity. Such information may be received in a format readableby a payment processing device. Such information may be received usingan established connection from block 701. Such information may indicateone or more ordered items, one or more confirmation items, one or moredelivery and/or pickup items, one or more special instructions, and/orany other desired information. Such information may be received inmultiple portions at a same or different time (e.g., items ordered firstthen later delivery confirmation, first page first, then second pageafter a next page button is pressed, all information at one time, etc.).Various examples of such information and transmitting such informationthat may apply in some embodiments are given elsewhere herein.

As indicated at block 705, some embodiments may include outputtinginformation about an order. Such outputting may be performed by apayment processing device and/or accessory. Such outputting may beperformed in response to the receiving of block 703. Such outputting mayinclude displaying onscreen, printing, and so on. In some embodiments,outputting may include outputting such that a item break does not occurat a screen break or a paper break, for example. Outputting may includeoutputting confirmation information that may be part of and/or receivedwith the order information. Various examples and discussions ofoutputting are described elsewhere herein that may apply.

As indicated at block 707, some embodiments may include receiving inputindentifying a confirmation of the order. Such receiving may beperformed by a payment processing device. Such receiving may includereceiving input from a merchant, such as button presses, touch screenpresses, and so on. Such confirmation may be on a per order basis and/ora per item basis. Such confirmation may include a confirmation for adelivery method and/or time. Such confirmation may include a change toone or more elements of the information, such as an adjustment to thedelivery time. Such confirmation may include entry of a code, navigationof a menu, pressing of a confirmation button, and so on. Variousexamples of confirmation that may apply are desired elsewhere herein.

As indicated at block 709, some embodiments may include transmittingconfirmation information. Such transmitting may be performed by apayment processing device of a merchant. Such transmitting may be inresponse to the input received by the payment processing device. Suchtransmitting may be using the established connection of block 701. Suchtransmitting may include transmitting in a desired format and/orformatting to that format. Such transmitting may include transmitting toa payment processing service, a system 101, a user, and so on. Variousexamples of transmitting that may apply are desired elsewhere herein.

In some embodiments, if a confirmation includes change to an order item,such as a change to a time and/or price is entered, such information maybe communicated to a payment processing service and/or any other entityand reported to the user, the delivery agent, a credit card, and so on.Such a recipient may properly any timing and/or expectations as desired.

Various other examples of confirmation that may be used in someembodiments and that may not involve transmitting, such as using anautomated telephone system, are described elsewhere herein.

Some embodiments may include transmitting additional information, suchas cancellation of and order, non-confirmation information, order changeinformation, and so on. Such information may be transmitting in responseto input form a merchant, in response to receiving information from apayment processing service, unilaterally by the merchant, and so on.

Some embodiments may include making food and/or other items, deliveringsuch items to a user, processing payment, performing a service for auser, and so on.

It should be recognized that while FIG. 7 illustrate one non-limitingexample method, other embodiments may include any method desired whichmay include same or different actions in any desired order and/ornumber. It should be recognized that while the above description isgiven in terms of order information, that similar methods may be used toprovide any desired non-payment information, such as reservationinformation, shipping of goods (e.g., wines, ingredients, and so on)information, and/or any other desired non-payment information. It shouldbe recognized that while non-payment information may be communicated insome embodiments, payment information may be communicated in addition tosuch non-payment information to and/or form the merchant at any desiredstep in any method (e.g., a payment method and/or authorization may betransmitted to the merchant along with the order and/or in response to aconfirmation by the merchant). Some embodiments of FIG. 7 may beperformed by a payment processing device. Some embodiments may beperformed by any desired entity. It should be recognized that action ofsuch a process may be performed by any entity as desired in variousembodiments.

In some embodiments, to facilitate entry of information using a paymentprocessing device, some embodiments may include ea menu. Such a menu maychange in response to key presses, touch screen touches, and/or anyother input. Display menus for entry of the information in response tokey presses. Some example menu prompts and interactions that may be usedin some embodiments are shown in FIG. 8 .

It should be recognized that while some embodiments are described interms of a restaurant, some embodiments may include a retail store, aservice provider, and/or any other desired merchant and/or entity.

In some embodiments, various entities may be paid for performance of oneor more actions. For example, a delivery agent may be paid fordelivering an item, a payment processing service may be paid forprocessing a payment, a payment processing service may be paid fortransmitting non-payment communication, a referral service may be paidfor providing a referral. In some embodiments, such payment may comefrom a merchant, and/or money received by a merchant.

It should be recognized that although various examples are given withmultiple entities acting as intermediaries, that some embodiments mayinclude no such intermediaries, more such intermediaries, ad/ordifferent such intermediary. For example, some embodiments may include adistributed system. Some embodiments may include a system where a user,a payment processing service, and/or a system a system 101, and/orpayment processing device perform any role that may have been performedby one of the others. For example, a user may directly communicate witha payment processing device, may perform payment processing, and so on.Such actions and/or other actions may be performed by any entity in anycombination.

Various examples may refer to a system such as system 101. It should berecognized that such references are given as examples only and thatsystem 101 and FIG. 1 are both given as examples only. Variousembodiments may include any system(s) in any configuration and/or nosystem that may or may not include any characteristics similar to system101 and any reference to system 101 may refer to any other system withor without such characteristics.

Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of thisinvention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications,and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Suchalterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part ofthis disclosure, and are intended to be within the scope of theinvention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are byway of example only.

XII. Embodiments

The following should be understood as embodiments, not as claims.

A. A method comprising: transmitting menu information that includes fooditems offered by a merchant from a computer system to a remote device ofa user; receiving an order from the remote device of the user by thecomputer system; in response to receiving the order, transmitting theorder to a payment processing service by the computer system; inresponse to receiving the order by the payment processing service,formatting the order for use by a payment processing device of themerchant by the payment processing service; establishing a connectionwith the payment processing device of the merchant by the paymentprocessing service; in response to receiving the order by the paymentprocessing service, transmitting the formatted order to the paymentprocessing device of the merchant; receiving the order by the paymentprocessing device of the merchant; in response to receiving the order bythe payment processing device of the merchant, outputting the order tothe merchant by the payment processing device; receiving a confirmationfrom the merchant by the payment processing device; in response toreceiving the confirmation from the merchant, transmitting theconfirmation to the payment processing service using the connection bythe payment processing device; receiving the confirmation by the paymentprocessing service; in response to receiving the confirmation by thepayment processing service, forwarding the confirmation to the computersystem; and receiving the confirmation by the computer system.

B. An apparatus comprising: a means for reading credit card informationfrom a credit card used to make a payment to a merchant; a means foroutputting information; a means for communicating at least the creditcard information to a payment processing service for authorizing thepayment to the merchant; and a tangible machine readable medium havingstored thereon a plurality of instructions that when executed by aprocessor cause the processor to perform a method comprising: receivingcredit card information for the payment from the means for readingcredit card information; transmitting the credit card information to thepayment processing service for authorization using the means forcommunicating;

receiving authorization of the payment from the payment processingservice using the means for communicating; outputting an indication ofthe authorization using the means for outputting information; receivingan order for the merchant using the means for communicating; and inresponse to receiving the order, output the order to the merchant usingthe means for outputting information.

B.1. The apparatus of claim B, in which the method further comprises:receiving a confirmation of the order from the merchant and transmittingan indication of the confirmation using the means for communicating.

B.1.1. The apparatus of claim B.1, in which the confirmation istransmitted to the payment processing service.

B.1.2. The apparatus of claim B.1, in which the order includes aconfirmation code and the confirmation includes the confirmation code.

B.2. The apparatus of claim B, in which the order is received form thepayment processing service.

B.3. The apparatus of claim B, in which the method further comprisesreceiving a change to the order form the merchant and transmitting thechange using the means for communicating.

B.3.1. The apparatus of claim B.3, in which the change includes at leastone of a change to a delivery time and a change to a pickup time.

B.3.2. The apparatus of claim B.3, in which the change includes a changeto a price.

B.4. The apparatus of claim B, in which receiving the order includesreceiving information about at least one of a pickup of the order and adelivery of the order.

B.5. The apparatus of claim B, in which the merchant includes arestaurant and the order includes an order for at least one food itemoffered for sale by the restaurant.

C. An apparatus comprising: a tangible machine readable medium havingstored thereon a plurality of instructions that when executed by aprocessor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:transmitting menu information that includes food items offered by amerchant to a remote device of a user; receiving an order from theremote device of the user; in response to receiving the order,facilitating transmission of the order to a payment processing device ofthe merchant; and receiving a confirmation of the order entered into thepayment processing device of the merchant.

C.1. The apparatus of claim C, in which facilitating includestransmitting the order to a payment processing service for transmissionto the payment processing device of the merchant.

C.2. The apparatus of claim C, in which the method further comprisesformatting the order for use by the payment processing device of themerchant.

C.3. The apparatus of claim C, in which the method further comprises:receiving an indication of a change to the order entered into thepayment processing device of the merchant.

C.3.1. The apparatus of claim C.3, in which the change includes a changeof price.

C.3.2. The apparatus of claim C.3, in which the change includes at leastone of a change of time for a pickup of the order and a change of timefor a delivery of the order.

C.3.3. The apparatus of claim C.3, in which the method furthercomprises: communicating the change to the user.

C.4. The apparatus of claim C, in which the confirmation is receivedfrom a payment processing service.

C.5. The apparatus of claim C, in which the method further compromises:

facilitating delivery of the order form the merchant to the user.

C.5.1. The apparatus of claim C.5, in which the order transmitted to themerchant includes information about the delivery.

C.6. The apparatus of claim C, in which the payment processing deviceincludes a credit card processing device.

C.7. The apparatus of claim C, in which the payment processing deviceincludes a device that may be used by the merchant to authorize a chargeon a credit card with a payment processing service.

C.8. The apparatus of claim C, in which the system includes a system ofa referral service.

C.9. The apparatus of claim C, in which the merchant includes arestaurant and the order includes an order for at least one food item.

D. An apparatus comprising: a tangible machine readable medium havingstored thereon a plurality of instructions that when executed by aprocessor cause the processor to perform a method comprising: receivinga charge to be made to a credit card from a payment processing device ofa merchant; in response to receiving the indication of the charge,authorizing the charge on the credit card; in response to authorizingthe charge, transmitting an indication of the authorization to thepayment processing device of the merchant; receiving an order for themerchant from a remote device; and in response to receiving the order,transmitting the order to the payment processing device of the merchant.

D.1. The apparatus of claim D, in which the method further comprisesformatting the order into a form that is useable by the paymentprocessing device.

D.2. The apparatus of claim D, in which the method further comprises:receiving an indication of a change to the order; and forwarding theindication to the remote device.

D.3. The apparatus of claim D, in which the remote device includes adevice of a referral service.

D.4. The apparatus of claim D, in which the transmitted order includesinformation about at least one of a pickup of the order and a deliveryof the order.

D.5. The apparatus of claim D, in which the method further comprisesreceiving a confirmation of the order from the payment processingdevice.

D.5.1. The apparatus of claim D.5, in which the confirmation includes aconfirmation code.

D.5.1.1. The apparatus of claim D.5.1, in which the method includestransmitting the confirmation code to the payment processing device withthe order.

D.6. The apparatus of claim D, in which the merchant includes arestaurant and the order includes an order for at least one food itemoffered for sale by the merchant.

D.7. The apparatus of claim D, in which the system includes a system ofa payment processing service used by the merchant to processes creditcard payments.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a network interface; amemory; a display device; at least one processor configured to: render,on the display device, menu information that includes items offered by amerchant; search a table stored in the memory for a payment processingservice associated with the merchant; establish, using the networkinterface, a connection with a remote payment card processing deviceassociated with the payment processing service, when the paymentprocessing service is located in the table, the payment card processingdevice comprising a card reader and a printer; detect a selection of aitem; in response to detecting the selection, identify a data formatthat is compatible with the payment card processing device; generatedata indicative of an order for the item in the data format that iscompatible with the payment card processing device transmit the data viathe network interface to the payment card processing device; identifywhether an acknowledgement message is received from the payment cardprocessing device via the network interface; and in response todetecting an acknowledgment from the payment card processing device,render a confirmation message of the order on the display device.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the payment card processing device is acredit card or debit card processing device.
 3. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the connection with the payment card processing device is adedicated connection.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at leastone processor is further configured to establish the dedicatedconnection prior to detecting the selection of the item.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the data format that is compatible withthe payment card processing device is a specific data packet format. 6.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data format that is compatiblewith the payment card processing device is an extensible markup languageformat.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processoris further configured to: generate abbreviation codes that indicatespecific details associated with the order; and include the abbreviationcodes in the data indicative of the order.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify thedata format that is compatible with the payment card processing device.9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor isfurther configured to transmit, using the network interface, dataindicative of payment for the order to the payment card processingdevice in the data format that is compatible with the payment cardprocessing device.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data formatcompatible with the payment card processing device comprises a maximumcharacter limit on at least one data field associated with the order.11. A method comprising: rendering on a display device, by at least oneprocessor, menu information that includes items offered by a merchant;searching, by the at least one processor, a table stored in a memory fora payment processing service associated with the merchant; establishing,by the at least one processor, using a network interface, a connectionwith a remote payment card processing device associated with the paymentprocessing service, when the payment processing service is located inthe table, the payment card processing device comprising a card readerand a printer; detecting, by the at least one processor, a selection ofa item; in response to detecting the selection, identifying, by the atleast one processor, a data format that is compatible with the paymentcard processing device; generating, by the at least one processor, dataindicative of an order for the item in the data format that iscompatible with the payment card processing device; transmitting, by theat least one processor, the data via the network interface to thepayment card processing device; identifying, by the at least oneprocessor, whether an acknowledgement message is received from thepayment card processing device via the network interface; and inresponse to detecting an acknowledgment from the payment card processingdevice, rendering, by the at least one processor, a confirmation messageof the order on the display device.
 12. The method of claim 11, whereinthe payment card processing device is a credit card or debit cardprocessing device.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the connectionwith the payment card processing device is a dedicated connection. 14.The method of claim 13, further comprising establishing, by the at leastone processor, the dedicated connection prior to detecting the selectionof the item.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein the data format that iscompatible with the payment card processing device is a specific datapacket format.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the data format thatis compatible with the payment card processing device is an extensiblemarkup language format.
 17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:generating, by the at least one processor, abbreviation codes thatindicate specific details associated with the order; and including, bythe at least one processor, the abbreviation codes in the dataindicative of the order.
 18. The method of claim 11, further comprisingidentifying, by the at least one processor, the data format that iscompatible with the payment card processing device.
 19. The method ofclaim 11, further comprising transmitting, by the at least oneprocessor, data indicative of payment for the order to the payment cardprocessing device via the network interface such that the dataindicative of the payment is in the data format compatible with thepayment card processing device.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein thedata format compatible with the payment card processing device comprisesa maximum character limit on at least one data field associated with theorder.